Nyingma Head to be Determined

Kyabje Trulshig Rinpoche is one of most pre-eminent and respected masters of the Nyingma lineage. He was born in Tibet, in Lo Talung, a place sacred to the Goddess Tara. When he was 4 years old, he was recognized by the abbot Ngawang Tenzing as the reincarnation of his own heart lama, Trulshig Tendru Dorje.

Trulshig Rinpoche studied at Dza-Rong-Phu with Ngawang Tenzing, and took novice vows at the age of 10. When he was 19, his beloved teacher died, and following his wishes, Rinpoche took his place as Khenpo (abbot) of Dza-Rong-Phu Monastery. Shortly after that, he went to Mindrolling College for further teachings.

Trulshig Rinpoche took Gelung vows with Chung Ngawang Chodar Rinpoche and Kyentse Norbu Rinpoche, who were his two main teachers at Mindrolling. He also studied with 34 different Lamas, including Mindrolling Dechen Choenzing, learning many aspects of Buddhist scriptures and practice.

Later, Trulshig Rinpoche studied in Lhasa, and took teachings from Chusep Jetsun Rinpoche, a famous female Lama, and Dudzom Rinpoche, the late head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. He studied with Dzongsar Kyentse Rinpoche, Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche, and His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

In 1959, when the Dalai Lama fled from the Chinese occupation of Tibet, Trulshig Rinpoche also fled south across the Himalaya, into the Everest region of Nepal. He stayed at the monastery in Thame for one year, then moved to Chiwong Monastery for 5 years. He later established a monastery at Sengye Puhk (the lion cave), above Thupten Choling, on the lower slopes of Shyorung Yul Lha. Later still, he and his followers established the monastery of Thupten Choling, now the largest monastery in Nepal, with 150 monks and 350 nuns studying and meditating there.